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SMRT C151
The C151 (C'''ontract '''151) is a Singaporean rapid transit electric multiple unit. Constructed from 1986 to 1989 by four companies, the C151s were the first trains to be used on the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit. History Construction of the Mass Rapid Transit was underway by 1983, with tenders being called for an order of 150 cars to be used on the then-to-be-constructed subway system, with an option for 246 more cars; this was known as Contract 151. The fight between multiple companies when it came to the tender was on; eventually, it all came down to three companies: Metro-Cammell with Singapore Automotive Engineering, Kawasaki Heavy Industries with Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo and Tokyu Car Corporation and ASEA with Sembawang Shipyards. Kawasaki was awarded the contract shortly after, and a mockup later displayed with the public allowed to choose the seat configuration of the cars. Metro-Cammell's loss of Contract 151 to Kawasaki was a massive financial blow to the company, who cut their workforce down by half later in the year and was purchased by Alstom some two years later. The trains were progressively built in Kobe and then shipped to Singapore via Neptune Orient Lines; the first train was delivered to MRT Corporation (today SMRT Corporation) on 8 July 1986 to Bishan Depot. The first trains entered service on 7 November 1987 with the opening of the first stretch of the Mass Rapid Transit. The trains were continually refitted, and underwent mid-life refurbishment from 2006 to 2008 by a consortium led by Hyundai Rotem. By 2015, the trains were regarded as reaching the end of their service lives and were made to undergo an end-of-life refurbishment program, while their contemporary sets, the C651s, were made to undergo their mid-life refurbishment programs. In 2016 however, the end-of-life refurbishment program was canceled after two sets were refurbished; despite this an additional four sets were refurbished by 2017. As of 2019, all C151 sets are in service; they are due to be replaced by the new CR151 sets starting in 2021 and scrapped thereafter. A few cars are slated to be preserved. A four-car money train was produced for the aforementioned purpose; with the change to stored value cards in 2003, the train was decommissioned. The four cars were later abandoned in open fields and are currently used by the Singapore Armed Forces for training purposes; two of the cars can be seen on Google Maps scattered on their sides in an open field near the National Shooting Center. Design The sets are made of a double-skinned aluminum alloy, similar to that of the Hitachi A-Train. Originally white with a red stripe with unpainted cab ends, their mid-life refurbishment caused the sides of their bodies to be painted a matte black instead with white cab ends while still retaining the red stripe. The water gutters on the sides of the train cars were painted with a black stripe on the sides in 2013. Specifications End cars are 23.65 meters long, 3.2 meters wide and 3.69 meters high. Most sets use Mitsubishi GTO choppers which produce a loud whine on accelerating; the six sets which underwent their end-of-life refurbishment feature Toshiba Permanent Magnetic Synchronous Motors which produce a hissing sound. Gallery C151 AsDelivered.jpg|A C151 set as delivered. C151 Unrefurb.jpg|An unrefurbished C151 at Jurong East Station in November 2006. C151 MoneyTrain.png|C151 set 301/302; this acted as the money train. C151 MoneyTrainCars.png|Two abandoned cars from the money train as viewed in Google Maps. Category:Electric Trainsets Category:Kawasaki locomotives Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives Category:Tokyu Car locomotives Category:Mass Rapid Transit trains